How to Stay on Track and on Time as a Busy Parent

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf Armitron The opinions and text are all mine.

Ready to be a more put together this year? Check out these tips for how to stay on track and on time as a busy parent!

If you’ve noticed it’s been a little quite around here lately, I’m sorry! I’m just now getting my little guy back into his school routine. School doesn’t start up here until almost the second week in September and we spent the last weeks crossing off every item on my kid’s summer bucket list. While I’m happy that school has FINALLY started (it brings a little normalcy back in both of our lives), I am a little worried about my schedule filling up in a way that is almost overwhelming.

Even though I try to be one of those highly organized and put together parents, it just never works out as planned. Not only does my kid have two after school sports including one I’m coaching, but with and infant, I always have some other appointment or commitment going on as well. After a little juggling, I have finally figured out a few things that really help to keep me on track and I want to share them with you to hopefully keep you on track too!

How to Stay on Track and on Time as a Busy Parent

Prep as much as you can ahead of time!

I know this one may sound obvious and trivial, but doing small things like putting together a snack station so your kids can basically pack their own lunches in the morning, will save you TONS of time and heartache! Keep this mentality for everything like appointments and even grocery shopping to stay head of any potential setbacks.

Don’t try to do to much at the same time!

I’m not going to lie, I’m not that great at keeping my focus on one thing for to long. To my defense, I do have a needy 7-month old that helps me lose focus very quickly. But, even if I didn’t, it’s just never been a strength for me. One thing I have learned though, even for people that are NOT like me, multitasking is a trap. Multitasking for parents is a great way to have 25 things all started and not a single one done. It’s better to just bite the bullet, turn of the T.V., silence your phone, and get one thing done at a time. That brings me to my next point…

Tackle your hardest, most daunting task first!

I feel like Newton’s first law of motion (an object in motion stays in motion) applies to everything! When you buckle down and get that one nagging task you need to do done, not only will you feel better, but you will also feel more motivated to get other things on your to-do list done! Once in motion, you will stay in motion!

Schedule some downtime!

If your schedule looks like a mini novel, you need to schedule yourself some downtime! For me, sometimes that is the only way I can actually catch my breath! Even my boys enjoy the simplicity of just staying in after a non-stop, consistently on the go week! Plus, if you already have the time scheduled, you will be less likely to add yet another thing to your calendar!

Take advantage of any free minutes you can grab!

If you happen to have a few minutes in-between activities, appointments, commitments, etc., take full advantage of them! Quite often, I find myself with 10 minutes in the pick-up line at the elementary school. That is usually the time I use to answer emails, check social media, or get any calls that need to be made out of the way. Some days I feel I get more done in that 10ish minutes, then the entire day put together.

Invest in an actual watch!

This one is serious! Invest in a quality watch like Armitron! Looking at the time on your wrist will help you stay more focus, as opposed to looking at the time on your phone. When you look at the time on your phone you will be more tempted to switch to social media or check your email, which can make you get completely side tracked… Remember multitasking is a trap!

Plus, being able to check the time on your physical arm can really come in handy if you’re like me and usually have a cell phone that is dead or almost dead. Opting for a watch is the best way to stay disconnected from technology. Even my husband who is a serious smart watch fan, opts for his Armitron Black IP plated Stainless Steel Watch when it’s strictly family time. He also loves how it can be dressed up or down depending on what hes doing.

Like I said above, make sure you pick a quality watch! You don’t want to invest in something that is going to turn around and start not functioning a week after you have it! With Armitron, all of their products are made with such quality and elegance. No matter what style or price point you have, they have something for everyone.

Don’t be afraid to say no!

Last, but not least, don’t be afraid to say no to things! This is a hard one for me. I like to try to do everything and honestly it comes back to bite me. This year I am making a conscious effort to say no to things, not just because of my schedule, but for quality of life. Just stick with what you HAVE to do and reserve your energy and time for things that make you happy and excited. I mean, why do we all just stick with the grin and bear it motto?! It’s time to make a change!

When you put all these things together, you will be surprised at just how easy it can be to actually stay on track and on time even as a busy parent! believe me, if I can do it, you can do it too! What are some of your best time management strategies to keep yourself on track?